There has been almost as much talk and speculation about a game seven weeks from now than the one the Seahawks will participate in Sunday. We all know the Giants will have closed up shop in a few weeks, but the Seahawks have the look and feel of a team that could be playing Feb. 2 in Super Bowl XLVIII, a game that will take place on the same MetLife Stadium field where they will first face the Giants.

“Nah, not at all,’’ Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman said when asked if he’s thinking about this game being a possible Super Bowl dry-run in New Jersey. “We’ll go there and fight hard with them and try to get a win out of it, but that’s all you’re thinking about right now.

“You can’t think that far down the line, you can’t think to the next week right now. You’d be doing disrespect to the New York Giants and their organization and their good players. That’s why you don’t ever over look past them and try to look towards the Super Bowl.’’

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was at USC when Terrell Thomas played for the Trojans, and Carroll is more than impressed with the way Thomas has returned to play in the NFL following two ACL surgeries in less than a year.

“I think it’s extraordinary,’’ Carroll said. “I mean, very few guys could ever do what he’s done. His resolve and his competitiveness have just come through. He was always a fantastic kid and tough-minded and demanding of himself. This is like, beyond.’’

The Seahawks can clinch the NFC West title and a first-round playoff bye if they beat the Giants, along with losses by the 49ers (against the Buccaneers) and Saints (against the Rams).

It would seem that playing at home in the Eastern time zone against a team from the Pacific time zone would be a big advantage for the Giants. Historically, that has not been the case. The Giants are just 24-24 all-time at home against teams from the West coast, including a 2-6 record against the Seahawks.

Seattle has put up some uncommonly good numbers in punt coverage. Just 13 of Jon Ryan ’s punts have been returned this season, for an average of 1.2 yards. Ryan used the “Aussie kick’’ style of kicking the point of the football for reduced distance but increased hang-time.

“So obviously that doesn’t travel as far, but he’s got the ability, which most guys don’t, to kick it with enough hang time and enough distance to be able to get away with doing it all over the field,’’ Giants special teams coordinator Tom Quinn said.

With just 15 punt return yards allowed this season, the Seahawks are on their way to breaking the NFL record of 49 yards allowed by the 2008 Falcons.

This is the first time in nine years the Giants (5-8) are playing a team (the 11-2 Seahawks) with at least six more victories than them at the time of the game. The last time it happened was Dec. 18, 2004, when the 5-8 Giants lost to the 12-1 Steelers, 33-30.